Student Handouts Activity One - Atrazine

Student Handouts – Activity One - Atrazine What is a Scientific Argument?

To introduce the topic of scientific argumentation, we’ll watch a video and talk about a few questions including, “what is a scientific question?” and “what is a scientific argument?” Let’s start by considering a few terms…

Scientific question: A scientific question is a question that can be addressed through scientific investigation. In order for a question to be scientific, it isn’t necessary for science to be able to answer it with exact precision (uncertainty can often be managed, but not eliminated in scientific investigations), but it must be possible to use scientific methods to study the question. Consider a few examples… Example scientific question – How much carbon from fossil fuel combustion did the United States emit into the atmosphere in 2011?

Example non-scientific question – Should the United States pass a law requiring all passenger cars to average at least 40 miles per gallon of gas consumption?

Scientific argument: In science, we use scientific arguments to answer scientific questions. Scientific arguments include: A claim - A statement that answers a scientific question. Example: Ice cream is good for you.

Evidence - Scientific data that supports a claim. Example: Ice cream is full of sugar.

Reasoning - An explanation that supports a claim by providing the underlying scientific concept that connects the evidence to the claim. Example: Sugar is a building block your body uses to grow.

Socioscientific issue: A socioscientific issue is an issue that confronts society that includes both scientific questions and non-scientific questions to be considered and addressed. For example, in order to deal with the socioscientific issue of climate change, people will need to answer both scientific questions about how and why climate change occurs, and non-scientific questions concerning what we should do about climate change. In order to decide what to do about a socioscientific issue, people can consider science, but they can also consider other things such as the economy, laws, justice, liberty, culture, etc.

1 Student Handouts – Activity One - Atrazine Let’s watch a short video to provide a real world example we can consider. After watching the video, answer the questions below in your small group.

1. What scientific question is addressed in the video?

2. What scientific argument did Dr. Hayes and his research team make?

a. What was his claim?

b. What was the evidence?

c. What was his reasoning?

3. What socioscientific issue (that is, issue that involves both social and scientific aspects) is this scientific argument relevant to?

4. If you wanted to decide what ought to be done about the socioscientific issue you’ve identified, what other scientific questions in addition to the one in the video would you want to consider?

5. What non-scientific questions would you want to consider?

2 Student Handouts – Activity One - Atrazine

3 Student Handouts – Activity Two What’s The Argument Here? Read the article(s) provided and complete the table below to consider the arguments in the articles. Then, with your group, discuss and refine your answers. Be prepared to share your ideas with the class. Titles of Articles You Read (use as many lines as you need): 1. 2. What socioscientific issue do the articles address?

What scientific question do the articles address?

SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENT ONE What is one scientific argument made in the articles? (Complete Claim, Evidence, Reasoning below) In which article(s) was this argument made? (You can list the numbers corresponding to titles at the top of this table): What is the scientific claim? (Hint: A scientific claim is an answer to the scientific question.)

What scientific evidence is provided? (Hint: Scientific evidence is data and observations that support the claim)

What reasoning supports the claim? (Hint: Reasoning describes how an underlying scientific concept connects the evidence to the claim. The reasoning could be in the article, or you may have to use your background knowledge about science to develop the reasoning.) 4 Student Handouts – Activity Two SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENT TWO What is another scientific argument made in the articles? (Complete Claim, Evidence, Reasoning below) In which article(s) was this argument made? (You can list the numbers corresponding to titles at the top of this table): What is the scientific claim? (Hint: A scientific claim is an answer to the scientific question.)

What scientific evidence is provided? (Hint: Scientific evidence is data and observations that support the claim)

What reasoning supports the claim? (Hint: Reasoning describes how an underlying scientific concept connects the evidence to the claim. The reasoning could be in the article, or you may have to use your background knowledge about science to develop the reasoning.)

5 Student Handouts – Activity Two

What Makes for a Strong or Weak Scientific Argument?

How can you tell whether a scientific argument is strong or weak? Discuss with you group and list criteria (factors) below that you can think of that you would use to judge the strength or weakness of a scientific argument.

Criteria (Factors) for Evaluating the How Strong or Weak a Scientific Argument Is

Evaluating Arguments in the Articles In your group, consider the scientific arguments you identified. Complete a table below for each scientific argument you identified. Which criteria (factors) can you comment about for each argument? For each criterion that is relevant to an argument, indicate whether the scientific argument is strong or weak for that criterion and explain why.

Scientific Argument One Restate the claim for this argument:

Criterion (Factor) Strength (S), Explain why the scientific argument is strong or weak for each Neutral (N), or criterion you list. Weakness (W)

Scientific Argument Two Restate the claim for this argument:

Criterion (Factor) Strength (S), Explain why the scientific argument is strong or weak for each Neutral (N), or criterion you list. Weakness (W)

8 Student Handouts – Activity Two Now that you’ve evaluated a few arguments related to this socioscientific issue, stop to think about your own opinion about what’s going on. Write down your own personal ideas about the questions below. Then discuss with your group/class.

What is your opinion about what should be done about this issue and why?

Is there anything that you could do to impact this issue? What are some things you could do and how might they impact the issue?

9 Student Handouts – Activity Three How Do Scientists Evaluate Arguments?

Some Criteria (Factors) Scientists Use to Evaluate Scientific Arguments  Is there scientific evidence to support the claim?  Is the sample size for collecting data sufficient (in other words, is the sample big enough)?  Were appropriate measures used in collecting data (in other words, did scientists measure the right variables to answer the scientific question)?  Was the data collection procedure for gathering evidence rigorous and careful?  Have the results been replicated (has similar evidence found in multiple separate instances)?  Have multiple scientists found similar results?  Is there an underlying scientific concept that links the evidence to the claim?  Is there consensus (agreement) among scientists about the argument?  Have the results been published in a peer reviewed, reputable publication?  Did someone who might have a bias fund or carry out this work (for example, was the work paid for a company that has an interest in getting certain results)?

Discuss with your group and write down your ideas about the following questions: 1. Why do you think the criteria on the list above are important to scientists?

2. Are there some factors on the list we developed as a class that are the same as or similar to criteria on the scientists’ list? If yes, which ones from the class list are similar to which ones from the scientists’ list?

10 Student Handouts – Activity Three 3. Considering the scientists’ list, are there any changes you would make to your evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments provided by the stakeholders in the articles? Using different color ink, make any additions or changes to your original lists of strengths and weaknesses for the arguments.

4. Now that you’ve considered how scientists might evaluate the scientific arguments in this issue, has your opinion about what should be done about the issue changed at all? (Circle one) YES NO

If you circled yes, describe how your opinion has changed and why. If you circled no, describe why your opinion didn’t change.

11 Student Handouts – Activity Four Scientific Arguments --- Do They Only Matter In Science Class? 1. What are some socioscientific issues that you know about and/or that are important to you?

2. For one issue you’ve identified, what are some scientific questions that investigating could help people understand the issue better?

3. Can answers to scientific questions provide us with all the information we need to make a good decision about what to do about a socioscientific issue? Why or why not?

4. If not, what other information would be needed?

5. Is there generally a right and wrong answer to what should be done about a socioscientific issue? Why or why not?

6. If two people had the same exact information available to them about a socioscientific issue, could they make different decisions with both being considered informed decisions? Why or why not?

7. Can all scientific questions be answered with 100% certainty? If not, can investigating these questions still help us to understand issues better, or is science only useful if it provides definite answers?

8. Has this set of activities changed the way you’ll consider scientific arguments in the future? If yes, how will what you do be different from what you’ve done before?